Kate Holmquist runs a column every Saturday in the Irish Times newspaper called ‘Artscape’ which is a compilation of significant artistic developments taking place around the country. This week she’s subtitled the column ‘The Boys with the Thorns in their Sides’, and first on her rollcall is a piece about the upcoming public seminar in Limerick:

  - Morrissey acolytes will be wafting with their gladioli to the University of Limerick later this month for a public seminar on ‘The Songs that Saved Your Life’. Public seminars usually get 25 participants at most, but local and international interest in the Morrissey-themed event has led organizers to book a 250-seat hall.

Morrissey’s complex, ambiguous sexuality and his confessional style have “given permission” to a generation of men, both gay and straight, gentle and macho, to acknowledge their own confusion around their identities, believes Dr Eoin Devereux [our punky!], department of sociology, UL, who will speak at the seminar, joined by Dr Nabeel Zuberi, University of Auckland, New Zealand.

Born in Crumlin [doh!], Morrissey grew up in Manchester in a typically puritanical, working class Catholic household. Devereux believes that the religious dimension of The Smiths and Morrissey’s artistic journey – from young eurotophobe to middle-aged gay and Latino idol – has been overlooked in academic discourse.

Devereux is also fascinated by the intense relationship between Morrissey and his fans, having interviewed fans who speak of Morrissey with religious fervour – interviews replete with references to how they have achieved personal redemption and salvation through their devotion to Morrissey.

Accolytes are an international, web-linked group, of all sexual persuasions, - including what Morrissey has called “the fourth sex”. Typical of his poly-cultured followers is Dr Nabeel Zuberi, who was born in Pakistan, grew up in Leeds, Manchester and Italy and has written extensively on the masculinities that Morrissey offers his devotees.

‘The Songs that Saved Your Life’ seminar is a joint project by the department of sociology and the Irish World Academy, to be held in UL, Room FB028, Foundation Building, Wed, April 23rd, 2.30-5.30pm, admission free. -